God's Face and the Creation of Humans 2 Enoch 44

God's Face and the Creation of Humans in 2 Enoch

According to Genesis, humans are created in the image of God. 2 Enoch takes this idea and likens God's face to the human face, which is God's image, and which should not be treated with contempt.

Chapter 30:10 On the sixth day I commanded my wisdom to create man from seven consistencies: one, his flesh from the earth; two, his blood from the dew; three, his eyes from the sun; four, his bones from stone; five, his intelligence from the swiftness of the angels and from cloud; six, his veins and his hair from the grass of the earth; seven, his soul from my breath and from the wind.

11And I gave him seven natures: to the flesh hearing, the eyes for sight, to the soul smell, the veins for touch, the blood for taste, the bones for endurance, to the intelligence sweetness [enjoyment].

12I conceived a cunning saying to say, I created man from invisible and from visible nature, of both are his death and life and image, he knows speech like some created thing, small in greatness and again great in smallness, and I placed him on earth, a second angel, honourable, great and glorious, and I appointed him as ruler to rule on earth and to have my wisdom, and there was none like him of earth of all my existing creatures.

13And I appointed him a name, from the four component parts, from east, from west, from south, from north, and I appointed for him four special stars, and I called his name Adam, and showed him the two ways, the light and the darkness, and I told him:

14This is good, and that bad, that I should learn whether he has love towards me, or hatred, that it be clear which in his race love me.

15For I have seen his nature, but he has not seen his own nature, therefore through not seeing he will sin worse, and I said After sin what is there but death?

In this respect another, even more striking parallel between the account of creation in 2 Enoch 30 and the Gnostic materials should be mentioned. In the longer recension44 of 2 Enoch 30.8 the deity commanded his Wisdom45 to create man out the seven components.46 Scholars have previously noted the parallels between this role of Wisdom (Gk. Sophia) in the creation of the first human in the Slavonic apocalypse and the Gnostic texts.47 Some scholars even suggested that the Sophia tradition in 2 Enoch 30 might be an early Jewish prototype of the later Gnostic developments.48

Enoch instructs his sons, that they might not insult the face of any person, small or great

2 Enoch 44:1 The Lord with his hands having created man, in the likeness of his own face, the Lord made him small and great.
2 Enoch 44:2 Whoever insults a person's face insults the face of the Lord;... Whoever treats with contempt the face of any person treats the face of the Lord with contempt.

In this passage, 2 Enoch likens the human face to the divine face, vers 1; reminds us of Gen 1:27 it has similar wording

44:1 The Lord with his hands having created man, in the likeness of his own face, the Lord made him small and great.

Gen 1:27  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

"in the image of God" That is, in the image of the Elohim whom the Father used in the work of creation. Man is In the Image And Likeness Of The Elohim, or angels . The word image means a shadow, or a likeness. The word is reproduced in Daniel 2 in relation to the image, and thus relates to form or appearance.

Genesis 5:3 states that "Adam begat a son in his likeness after his image" which illustrates its use here.

Man was made "in the image" of the Elohim, and inasmuch as they are "sons of God," the image is divine (though the nature of man is not).

Of the Lord Jesus Christ also, we read that he is "the exact representation of his (God's) very being" (Heb. 1:3). Yahweh has corporeal existence in heaven.

"While image, then, hath reference to form or shape, 'likeness' hath regard to mental constitution, or capacity... Adam's mental capacity enabled him to comprehend and receive spiritual ideas

But whereas Adam was made in "the image and likeness of the Elohim," the descendants of Adam inherit the consequences of the Fall. Seth was "in the likeness after the image" of Adam (Gen. 5:3), and not that of God.

Therefore, since the Fall it has been impossible for man to reflect the divine excellence in its fullness, and this has required the formation of a New Man who should exactly reveal the divine image and likeness. This Christ accomplished by conquering the flesh (Rom. 1:3; Heb. 1:3; Col. 1:15).

Man is a facsimile of god that is of god's visible face
any disrespect for any human being is to disrespect  God himself

2 Enoch 44:2 Whoever insults a person's face insults the face of the Lord; ....Whoever treats with contempt the face of any person treats the face of the Lord with contempt.

James 3:8 But the tongue, not one of mankind can get it tamed. An unruly injurious thing, it is full of death-dealing poison. 9 With it we bless God, even [the] Father, and yet with it we curse men who have come into existence “in the likeness of God


And now, my children, it is not from my own lips that I am reporting to you today, but from the lips of the Lord who has sent me to you. As for you, you hear my words, out of my lips, a human being created equal to yourselves; but I, I have heard the words from the fiery lips of the Lord. For the lips of the Lord are a furnace of fire, and his words are the fiery flames which come out. You, my children, you see my face, a human being created just like yourselves; I, I am one who has seen the face of the Lord, like iron made burning hot by fire, emitting sparks. For you gaze into (my) eyes, a human being created just like yourselves; but I have gazed into the eyes of the Lord, like the rays of the shining sun and terrifying the eyes of a human being.

The Divine Face 2 Enoch 22 and 39

The Divine Face 2 Enoch 22 and 39

The Second Apocalypse of Enoch is a pseudepigraphic text which describes the ascent of Enoch through ten heavens in the tenth heaven Enoch sees the appearance of god a description of the divine face is given in chapter 22

Chapter 22

In the tenth heaven the archangel Michael led Enoch to before the Lord’s face

1On the tenth heaven, which is called Aravoth,I saw the view of the face of the Lord, like iron made burning hot in a fire and brought out, and it emits sparks and is incandescent. Thus even I saw the face of the Lord. But the face of the Lord is not to be talked about, it is so very marvelous and supremely awesome and supremely frightening. 
2 And who am I to give an account of the incomprehensible being of the Lord, and of his face, so extremely strange and indescribable? And how many are his commands, and his multiple voice, and the Lord's throne, supremely great and not made by hands, and the choir stalls all around him, the cherubim and the seraphim armies, and their never-silent singing. 
3 Who can give an account of his beautiful appearance, never changing and indescribable, and his great glory? 4 And I fell down flat and did obeisance to the Lord  (2 Enoch 22:1-4, the longer recension).^[8]

the face of yahweh is like iron this would symbolis his corporeal substance or divine nature
the fire would also the nautre of yahweh God is spirit and
 it emits sparks  this symoises the emanations of the spirit 

For Yahweh thy God is a consuming
fire" — A consuming fire will eat up all
that it attacks. Yahweh is such to His
enemies. See Deut. 9:3. When Israel was
gathered at the mount, "the sight of the
glory of Yahweh was like devouring fire"
(Exod. 24:17).

Yahweh makes his ministers a flame of fire

the description of Yahweh's corporeality

In chapter 39 Enoch reports this theophanic experience to his sons during his short visit to the earth, adding some new details. Although both portrayals demonstrate a number of terminological affinities, the second account explicitly connects the divine face with the Lord's anthropomorphic "extend." The following account is drawn from the shorter recension of 2 Enoch:

Chapter 39
Enoch’s pitiful admonition to his sons with weeping and great lamentation, as he spoke to them

And now, my children it is not from my lips that I am reporting to you today, but from the lips of the Lord who has sent me to you. As for you, you hear my words, out of my lips, a human being created equal to yourselves; but I have heard the words from the fiery lips of the Lord. For the lips of the Lord are a furnace of fire, and his words are the fiery flames which come out. You, my children, you see my face, a human being created just like yourselves; I am one who has seen the face of the Lord,^[9] like iron made burning hot by a fire, emitting sparks. For you gaze into my eyes, a human being created just like yourselves; but I have gazed into the eyes of the Lord, like the rays of the shining sun^[10] and terrifying the eyes of a human being. You, my children, you see my right hand beckoning you, a human being created identical to yourselves; but I have seen the right hand of the Lord, beckoning me, who fills heaven. You see the extent of my body, the same as your own; but I have seen the extent of the Lord,^[11] without measure and without analogy, who has no end... To stand before the King, who will be able to endure the infinite terror or of the great burning (2 Enoch 39:3-8)

fthis describes God's physical corporeal body

Chapter 44
Enoch instructs his sons, that they revile not the face of man, small or great
1The Lord with his hands having created man, in the likeness of his own face, the Lord made him small and great.
2Whoever reviles the ruler’s face, and abhors the Lord’s face, has despised the Lord's face, and he who vents anger on any man without injury, the Lord’s great anger will cut him down, he who spits on the face of man reproachfully, will be cut down at the Lord’s great judgment.

3Blessed is the man who does not direct his heart with malice against any man, and helps the injured and condemned, and raises the broken down, and shall do charity to the needy, because on the day of the great judgment every weight, every measure and every makeweight will be as in the market, that is to say they are hung on scales and stand in the market, and every one shall learn his own measure, and according to his measure shall take his reward. 

The inner realization of the divine presence, of having met God face to face, and of having succeeded through prayer in attaining the divine favor and blessing that have been sought (turned toward God, face of God, within the presence of God, vision of God, recognition of God, beholden of God). At Peniel Jacob's name was changed to Israel because, as it was explained to him, "thou has striven with God and with men, and hast prevailed," had power with, margin (Gen. 32:28).

To see a vision of God's face is to experience the inner realization of the divine presence, of having met God face to face, and of having succeeded through prayer in obtaining the divine favour and blessing that have been sought within the presence of God.

Extracts from the Works of Theodotus

 10 But not even the world of spirit and of intellect, nor the arch angels and the First-Created, no, nor even he himself is shapeless and formless and without figure, and incorporeal; but he also has his own shape and body corresponding to his preeminence over all spiritual beings, as also those who were first created have bodies corresponding to their preeminence over the beings subordinate to them. For, in general, that which has come into being is not unsubstantial, but they have form and body, though unlike the bodies in this world. Those which are here are male and female and differ from each other, but there he who is the Only-Begotten and inherently intellectual has been provided with his own form and with his own nature which is exceedingly pure and sovereign and directly enjoys the power of the Father; and the First-Created even though numerically distinct and susceptible of separate distinction and definition, nevertheless, are shown by the similarity of their state to have unity, equality and similarity. For among the Seven there is neither inferiority nor superiority and no advance is left for them, since they have received perfection from the beginning, at the time of the first creation from God through the Son. And he is said to be “inapproachable Light” as” Only-Begotten,” and “First-Born,” “the things which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, and which have not entered into the heart of man,” – and such a one shall not be found either among the First-Created or among men, – but they “always behold the face of the Father” and the face of the Father is the Son, through whom the Father is known. Yet that which sees and is seen cannot be formless or incorporeal. But they see not with an eye of sense, but with the eye of mind, such as the Father provided.

12 Therefore the First-Created behold both the Son and each other and the inferior orders of being, as also the archangels behold the First-Created. But the Son is the beginning of the vision of the Father, being called the “face” of the Father. And the angels, who are intellectual fire and intellectual spirits, have purified natures, but the greatest advance from intellectual fire, completely purified, is intellectual light, “into which things the angels desire to look,” as Peter says. Now the Son is still purer than this: “light unapproachable” and “a power of God” and, according to the Apostle, “we were redeemed by precious and blameless and spotless blood.” And his “garments gleamed as the light, and his face as the sun,” which it is not easy even to look at.

15 “And as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall bear also the image of the heavenly,” that is of the spiritual, as we advance towards perfection. Again he says “image” in the sense of spiritual bodies. And again, “For now we see in a mirror, confusedly, but then face to face”; for immediately we begin to have knowledge. . . there is not even “face” – form and shape and body. Now shape is perceived by shape, and face by face and recognition is made effectual by shapes and substances.

Non-Docetic Doctrines in the Nag Hammadi Library

Non-Docetic Doctrines in the Nag Hammadi Library

or

Orthodoxy in the Nag Hammadi Library

Orthodox Christians will claim that the Gnostic Gospels of the Nag Hammadi Library contents false teaching, however after reading the Nag Hammadi Library I found that it contains many Orthodox doctrines.

The Treatise on the Resurrection

How did the Lord proclaim things while he existed in flesh and after he had revealed himself as Son of God? He lived in this place where you remain, speaking about the Law of Nature - but I call it 'Death'. Now the Son of God, was Son of Man. The Treatise on the Resurrection
http://gnosis.org/naghamm/res.html

Orthodox Christians believe that Jesus is Son of God and Son of Man

The nature of Jesus

The Gospel of Thomas

I took my stand in the midst of the world, and I appeared to them in flesh. Gospel of Thomas Saying 28

http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/gosthom-meyer.html

again this is an orthodox teaching that Jesus came in the flesh

Jesus says himself that he came in the flesh. False Teachers will claim that Jesus did not come in the flesh or that Jesus is non-corporeal which we can see from The Text of Melchizedek:

The Text of Melchizedek

Furthermore, they will say of him that he is unbegotten, though he has been begotten, (that) he does not eat, even though he eats, (that) he does not drink, even though he drinks, (that) he is uncircumcised, though he has been circumcised, (that) he is unfleshly, though he has come in the flesh, (that) he did not come to suffering, though he came to suffering, (that) he did not rise from the dead, though he arose from the dead. Melchizedek  

http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/melchiz.html

This is an incredible verse or paragraph from the Melchizedek book in the Nag Hammadi Library and it condemns modern Gnostics who reject the physical death and resurrection of Jesus

Teaching on the Resurrection

The Treatise on the Resurrection 

For if you remember reading in the Gospel that Elijah appeared and Moses with him, do not think the resurrection is an illusion. It is no illusion, but it is truth! Indeed, it is more fitting to say the world is an illusion, rather than the resurrection which has come into being through our Lord the Savior, Jesus Christ. The Treatise on the Resurrection

http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/res.html

The Gospel of Philip:

The resurrection is real it is not an illusion
I condemn those who say the flesh won’t rise.
Then both are wrong. You say the flesh won’t ascend.
Tell me, what will rise so I can honour you?
You say spirit in the flesh and light in the flesh.
What is the flesh?
You say there is nothing outside the flesh.
It is necessary to arise in this flesh, since everything exists in it.
In this world those wearing garments are better than garments.
In heaven the garments are better than the wearers. The Gospel of Philip 

http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/GPhilip-Barnstone.html

It is necessary to arise in this flesh, since everything exists in it.the resurrection of mortal flesh which puts on immortality or spiritual flesh

True Flesh

[The master] was conceived from what [is imperishable], through God. The [master rose] from the dead, but [he did not come into being as he] was. Rather, his [body] was [completely] perfect. [It was] of flesh, and this [flesh] was true flesh. [Our flesh] is not true flesh but only an image of the true. The Gospel of Philip 


http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/GPhilip-Meyer.html


“My god, my god, O lord, why have you abandoned me?”
He said these words on the cross. But not from that place. He was already gone. . . . The Gospel of Philip  

http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/GPhilip-Barnstone.html

Again this shows that the gospel of Philip knows of the resurrection and his death on the cross


The Sophia of Jesus Christ:

After he rose from the dead, his twelve disciples and seven women continued to be his followers, and went to Galilee onto the mountain called "Divination and Joy". When they gathered together and were perplexed about the underlying reality of the universe and the plan, and the holy providence, and the power of the authorities, and about everything the Savior is doing with them in the secret of the holy plan, the Savior appeared - not in his previous form, but in the invisible spirit. And his likeness resembles a great angel of light. But his resemblance I must not describe. No mortal flesh could endure it, but only pure, perfect flesh, like that which he taught us about on the mountain called "Of the Olives" in Galilee. The Sophia of Jesus Christ

 http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/sjc.html


The sophia of Jesus Christ at the begining of the text speaks about the resurrection of Jesus and goes on to describe the nature of the spiritual body it was not mortal flesh but pure, perfect flesh or spiritual flesh
The Apocryphon of James:

Remember my cross and my death and you will live."

And I answered and said to him: "Lord, do not mention to us the cross and the death, for they are far from you."

The Lord answered and said: "Truly I say to you, none will be saved unless they believe in my cross. But those who have believed in my cross, theirs is the Kingdom of God. Therefore, become seekers for death, just as the dead who seek for life, for that which they seek is revealed to them. And what is there to concern them? When you turn yourselves towards death, it will make known to you election. In truth I say to you, none of those who are afraid of death will be saved. For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who have put themselves to death. Become better than I; make yourselves like the son of the Holy Spirit." http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/jam-meyer.html


Here in The Apocryphon of James we are clearly told by Jesus himself to Remember his cross and his death and we shall live.

Truly I say to you, none will be saved unless they believe in my cross.
The Gospel of Truth:

In their heart, the living book of the living was manifest, the book that was written in the thought and in the mind of the father and, from before the foundation of all, is in that incomprehensible part of him.

This is the book that no one found possible to take, since it was reserved for him who will take it and be slain. No one could appear among those who believed in salvation as long as that book had not appeared. For this reason, the compassionate, faithful Jesus was patient in his sufferings until he took that book, since he knew that his death meant life for many. Just as in the case of a will that has not yet been opened, the fortune of the deceased master of the house is hidden, so also in the case of all that had been hidden as long as the father of all was invisible and unique in himself, in whom every space has its source. For this reason Jesus appeared. He put on that book. He was nailed to a cross. He affixed the edict of the father to the cross. http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/got-barnstone.html

The Doctrine of Emanation

The doctrine of emanation

“All the emanations from the Father, therefore, are Pleromas, and all his emanations have their roots in the one who caused them all to grow from himself.” The Gospel of Truth, The Nag Hammadi Library

There are two emanations the first emanation is to about the self-realization of the Uncreated Eternal Spirit the second emanation is the manifestation of creation both the spiritual universe and the physical universe

This study will deal with the the second emanation the creation of the the physical universe

GOD AND HIS SPIRIT IN RELATION TO THE UNIVERSE

What is the meaning of the word spirit‭? ‬To what language does the word belong‭? ‬It is a Latin word,‭ ‬as,‭ “‬spiritus,‭” ‬a blowing,‭ ‬from‭ ‬spiro,‭ “‬to breathe,‭ ‬breathe out,‭ ‬exhale.‭” ‬Hence‭ ‬Spirit is that also which is exhaled.‭ ‬In the Greek,‭ ‬the word which answers to‭ ‬spirit is‭ ‬pneuma,‭ ‬which signifies the same as‭ ‬spiro.‭ ‬In the Hebrew it is‭ ‬ruach.‭ ‬But these words,‭ ‬while they tell us that they stand for something radiated or exhaled,‭ ‬do not tell us what the essence or substance of the exhalation,‭ ‬or radiation,‭ ‬is.‭ ‬It may be air in motion,‭ ‬or wind,‭ ‬breath,‭ ‬electricity,‭ ‬or some other agent.‭ ‬What it is the word represents,‭ ‬depends upon something more than etymology can supply.‭ ‬The words ‬ruach,‭ ‬pneuma,‭ ‬spiritus and‭ ‬spirit do not signify the same thing in all places where they occur‭; ‬still,‭ ‬whatever the thing is,‭ ‬the radical idea is a motion outwards‭ ‬from,‭ ‬into.


The first place in the Bible where the word occurs is in‭ ‬Gen.‭ i. ‬2.‭ ‬Here it is‭ ‬ruach Elohim,‭ ‬a principle going out of,‭ ‬or from,‭ ‬the Mighty Ones.‭ ‬What could this be‭? ‬It may be known by its effects.‭ “‬It brooded upon the face of the waters,‭”—‬of the waters which in the primeval state of the earth,‭ ‬covered its entire surface.‭ ‬This brooding principle covered the surface and penetrated its substance in all its atoms,‭ ‬so that it was only necessary for the word of command to go forth from the Mighty,‭ ‬and whatever might be commanded would be done.


‬Everything was made by this brooding principle as the executive of divine Wisdom.‭ “‬By His spirit he hath garnished the heavens‭;” “‬He sendeth forth his spirit‭; ‬they are created,‭” ‬even all the things detailed by Moses.‭ ‬Hence,‭ ‬Job says,‭ “‬the‭ ‬ruach of‭ ‬Ail hath made me,‭ ‬and the‭ ‬Nishmah of SHADDAI hath given me life.‭ ‬The Spirit is,‭ ‬therefore,‭ ‬formative.‭ ‬It is creative power.‭ ‬It made the light‭; ‬it divided the vapours from the waters by an expanse‭; ‬gathered the waters together in the place of seas‭; ‬formed the vegetable world‭; ‬established the astronomy of the heavens‭; ‬developed the animal kingdom‭; ‬and executed the whole so satisfactorily that the work was pronounced‭ “‬very good.‭”


When we contemplate‭ ‬spirit through these results,‭ ‬we behold an Almighty power which is predicated of AIL—the‭ ‬spirit of Ail.‭ ‬But what is AIL‭? ‬Etymologically,‭ ‬it is‭ ‬strength,‭ ‬might,‭ ‬power.‭ ‬Hence the‭ ‬Spirit of AIL is a powerful emanation,‭ ‬or‭ ‬breathing forth of power.‭ ‬ALMIGHTY POWER is the fountain and origin of the universe,‭ “‬out of whom are all things‭” ‬says Paul‭ (‬1‭ ‬Cor.‭ viii. ‬6‭)‬.‭ ‬He also tells us that the fountain of Omnipotence is a glorious and torrid centre‭; ‬a centre that cannot be approached by man,‭ ‬and the dwelling place of an invisible,‭ ‬intelligent,‭ ‬and deathless being‭ (‬1‭ ‬Tim.‭ vi. ‬16‭)‬.‭


This is AIL—all-wise,‭ ‬all-powerful,‭ ‬all-seeing,‭ ‬and all-knowing.‭ ‬There is only one such in the wide-extended universe.‭ ‬He is life and incorruptibility,‭ ‬and never was anything else.‭ ‬Here is a wonderful being,‭ ‬corporeal intelligence that hath always existed,‭ ‬and out of whom,‭ ‬as‭ “‬THE FATHER,‭” ‬all things have been produced.‭ ‬But of what does his substance consist‭? ‬What his nature‭? ‬What is he‭?


‭ “‬HE IS SPIRIT.‭”

These are the words of Jesus,‭ ‬who knew what he affirmed.‭ ‬AIL is spirit,‭ ‬and there is a spirit of AIL—the fountain and the stream are both spirit,‭ ‬and hold a like relation that radiant caloric does to iron glowing with a white heat.‭ ‬But what is the glowing substance of Deity‭? ‬That which shall be manifested in the saints when they become spirit,‭ ‬for they shall be like him who is in the bosom of the Father.‭ “‬Deity is spirit,‭” ‬and to convey our conception to the reader of this substance,‭ ‬we would style it‭ ‬corporeal electricity.‭

We behold the lightning’s flash‭; ‬we see its almighty effect upon rocks and trees,‭ ‬and we perceive its universality‭; ‬still of its‭ ‬essence,‭ ‬we are ignorant.‭ ‬Our words and definitions leave this untouched.‭ ‬But whatever the essence may be,‭ ‬that corporeal essence is God,‭ ‬and the same incorporeal and radiant essence is the spirit of God.‭

Electricity or lightning is a Bible symbol for spirit.‭ ‬Ezekiel,‭ ‬son of man,‭ ‬priest and prophet,‭ ‬had‭ ‬visions of Elohim,‭ ‬who are,‭ ‬when manifested,‭ ‬spirit,‭ ‬being all of them post-resurrectionally begotten,‭ ‬and born out of spirit,‭ ‬and consequently consubstantial with the Father,‭ ‬who is spirit.‭ ‬In these visions of spirit,‭ ‬then,‭ ‬Ezekiel saw the living ones or Elohim come forth out of the midst of fire and brightness.‭ ‬His description in chap.‭ i. ‬4,‭ ‬is symbolical of‭ ‬1‭ ‬Tim.‭ vi. ‬16.‭ ‬What we call electricity,‭ ‬for want of a better word,‭ ‬in glowing combustion,‭ ‬he terms‭ “‬fire and brightness.‭”

‬In beholding the electrically-generated beings born of the Ezekiel fire,‭ ‬he says‭ “‬Whither the spirit was to go,‭ ‬they went,‭” ‬because they will be spirit,‭ ‬so that wherever they may be,‭ ‬there,‭ ‬necessarily,‭ ‬corporeal-spirit will be.‭ ‬And,‭ ‬as for the likeness of the living creatures,‭ ‬says he,‭ “‬their appearance was like burning coals of fire,‭ ‬and like the appearance of lamps‭; ‬it went up and down among the living creatures‭; ‬and the fire was bright,‭ ‬and out of the fire went forth lightning‭” ‬or flaming electricity.‭ “‬And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.‭”

In scriptural discourse, "electricity" is termed spirit, because it is radiated, or sent forth, from the substance of Almighty Power, after the tropical analogy of blowing, breathing, or exhaling. This idea is illustrated by the iron excited to white heat, or the magnet. These are solid substances, but within a certain radius, they are enveloped in an atmosphere of light and heat, or of magnetism. This atmosphere may represent the radiant power, or spirit, of the Deity; and the glowing iron and magnet, the radiating power, or substance, called DEITY. 

Here, then, is spirit free, radiant, or uncombined ; and spirit in substance, corporeal, bodily existence. The latter is the original condition of spirit. It was not originally free or diffused through space, and at some particular epoch condensed, reduced to a bodily form, and individualized.

To affirm this, would be to affirm the existence of abstract intelligent power antecedent to the Hypostasis, or substance, the exact representation of which Jesus Anointed is declared now to be. No, the Substantial Father has always been substance, and has had no incorporeal predecessor in wisdom and power.

His nature is the substratum, or basis, of all conceivable existences, animate or inanimate, in all the universe ; for they are all created out of his spirit, and that spirit radiates out of his substance. It is always subordinate to His will; and accomplishes that only whereunto it is sent. Hence, it does not act independently of the radiating power. Nothing, therefore, happens by chance in the operation of the spirit.

The wisdom that ordains is in the Father; and the wisdom that executes is in the power radiating from him. This is illustrated by the fact (and we have verified the fact by experiment) that a man may simply will actions to be performed by another at a distance ; and his will, though unexpressed in words or gesture, will be done. If any action result, it will not be contrary to the will, nor can it be. It is impossible, likewise, for the spirit of the Deity to execute contrary to the will of the Deity. Hence, " THE SON," or Spirit- Emanation from the Father-Spirit-Substance, " can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do," or will; " for whatsoever he doeth," or wills," "these also doeth," or executeth, "the Son likewise"—John v. 19.

The distinction made by "philosophers" between "matter" and "spirit" is artificial, and does not obtain in scripture.The Father is matter, or substance, but he is spirit also; for that matter of which he consists, and which constitutes his nature, is spirit. This being the fact, matter is eternal. But this by no means implies that the forms of matter arc eternal likewise; for that would be to affirm that the Creator was not antecedent to his works. The dispute, then,, upon the question whether spirit existed before matter, or matter before spirit, is a vain controversy; and indicative of the ignoranee of the "philosophers" on both sides. 

The one had no precedence of the other, being essentially the same. Hence matter is not essentially evil, or coiTupt and mortal; nor is it incapable of thought. The Divine Power is matter, but, though he creates evil, he is not evil,  nor corruptible and mortal. There is,therefore, no force nor reason in the argument that a thing is immortal because it is immaterial, or not matter. Whatever exists is matter. Electricity is as much matter as a block of marble, the only difference is, that it is matter in a different form. Hence the immaterial is the non-existent, or nothing. To say, then, that a thing is immortal because it is immaterial, is to ailirm that it is immortal because it is nothing, or does not exist; which is the demonstration of the wisest thinking of the flesh—" the wisdom of the world " condemned as folly, working death in all that are deceived by it.

There is no part of the boundless universe where the spirit of the Divine Power is not. It pervades the atoms of all bodies and is everywhere. Hence the inquiry of Christ in prophecy, " Whither shall I go from thy spirit ? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence ? If I ascend into heaven thou art there; if I make my bed in the grave, behold thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thine hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I shall say surely the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thec; but the night shineth as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to thee."—Ps. exxxix. 7-14. 

This proves what we have said, and teaches that, in a general sense, allcreatures are in the presence of the Creator; that they arc so in being contiguous to his spirit: for, as fish live, and move, and have their being in the waters, so all animals and men " live, and move, and have their being " in spirit of God. Upon this natural principle it is that Paul declared to the heathen philosophers that God is "not far from every one of us"; and that Jesus said," a sparrow shall not \ fall on the ground without the Father." Hence, in the natural or physical sense, all creatures have the spirit, and cannot live without it; so that as Job says, " If He gather to himself his spirit and his breath, all flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust"—xxxiv. 14. Spirit develops the organism of all creatures, and preserves it from disorganization.

It is what pathologists term the vis medicatrix natwras; and physiologists, " the vital principle." When the spirit and breath of the Creator are withdrawn from a man or a sparrow, there remain no healing power and vitality in their several bodies; and the immediate tendency in them is to corruption and dust. Hence, all creatures in the air, earth, and seas, are spirit-farms. The types or patterns, after which they were created were all in the mind of Deity before they were created; and when they were formed, the formation was out of spirit-matter and by spirit according to pattern. Every creature is therefore a spirit in this sense; but not necessarily immortal because a spirit. The immortality of a spirit depends upon the constitution of the matter or substance of the peculiar form. A spirit form of a flesh and blood organization is essentially mortal and corruptible; for death and corruption are peculiar to that material constitution. The " spirits in prison " Peter speaks of, were flesh and blood organizations turned again into dust, consequent upon the Deity gathering to himself his spirit and breath. · 

His free spirit withdrawn, and the cohesive affinity of their substance departed, and its gaseous elements entered into new combinations, destructive of the forms, termed man, cattle, fowl, and so forth. Hence the Deity is styled by Moses in Numb, xxvii. 16, " YAHWEII, Elohim of the spirits of all flesh " : that is, the spirit self-styled HE SIIALL BE, is the powers of all flesh-emanations of hi9 power. The spirit-power of the lion is the power of Jehovah; and so of all other creatures. Hence the facility with wThich he can open and shut their fierce and voracious mouths, as in the case of Daniel and his persecutors. This universal diffusion of spirit places all created things in telegraphic communication with the will of the Deity. What he wills needs not batteries and wires for transmission. He has but to will and it is instantaneously responded to according to his purpose, though the locality where obedience is required be distant from his throne a hundred millions of miles. Take these two points, the throne of the Universe, and the earth we inhabit, as the two extremities of the line—the Deity at the one end, and we at the other. The intermediate space is filled with his " free spirit," radiant from his substance, and incarnately organic in all his creatures.

What we call "time" is unnecessary for the transmission of ideas. The Deity is not a being of time. He has not to move from where he is to be where he would be; for he is everywhere by spirit, and fills all. Hence his will at the throne is his will at the same instant on earth; for his intelligence and wisdom are as universal as his power and only require his will to be exercised for their manifestation in every part of his wide domain.

Now, in studying the subject of spirit we must consider it severally in its relations to things physical and natural; andto things intellectual and moral, or spiritual in a special sense. As we have seen, all mankind and animals generally are the subject of the operation of the spirit; but it is only a certain class of mankind that is operated upon in the special sense by which individuals are brought iilto harmony with the moral attributes of Deity.


The ideas and thoughts of the Deity are as much spirit as this physical power.His thoughts are moral power breathed forth in his words, and that is spirit, even as the lightning breathed forth, or radiant, from his substance is spirit. His thoughts breathed forth or revealed in any way he may determine constitute uthe truth1*, and therefore the truth is spirit. Hence, the Lord Jesus said,u My words arc spirit"; and the apostle John says, " The spirit is the truth." To produce physical results, such as raising the dead, curing the sick, speaking with tongues, speaking by inspiration, and so forth, material power or spirit is required; but when purely moml results are the things desired, the truth is the spirit that operates upon the heart.

Notes

hypostasis

(Colossians 1:15) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;

Heb 1:3 3 who being the brightness of the glory, and the impress of His subsistence (5287 ὑπόστασις hypostasis hoop-os’-tasis), bearing up also the all things by the saying of his might — through himself having made a cleansing of our sins, sat down at the right hand of the greatness in the highest,

5287 ὑπόστασις hypostasis hoop-os’-tasis

hypostasis

an underlying reality (pleroma) or substance, as opposed to attributes or to that which lacks substance (kenoma)


So the Deity has a substance this substance is spirit

Electricity

Deity is spirit that is corporeal energy or electricity or dark matter (Exodus 20:21) (Deuteronomy 4:11) (1Kings 8:12) (Psalms 18:11) (Psalms 97:2) (1 Corinthians 4:5) (Job 22:11-14)

from these texts above it appears that God resides in thick darkness and in heaven, so heaven arguably must equate to thick darkness.

dark matter and/or energy in our universe may actually be described as the abode of spiritual creation in the scriptures, i.e. the place where God and his spiritual sons actually live and from where they can observe and interact with us

Miracles in the Gospel of Thomas

These are the secret sayings that the living Jesus spoke and Didymos Judas Thomas recorded.

1. And he said, "Whoever discovers the interpretation of these sayings will not taste death."

Some claim that in the Gospel of Thomas Jesus performs no miracles but Jesus’ sayings are the miracles he performs for they are living words that bring everlasting life and that in itself is a miracle that the words he speaks bring eternal life by seeking and finding the correct interpretation of them.

However, Jesus speaks about two miracles in Sayings 29, 85 in Saying 29

Jesus said: If the flesh came into existence because of the spirit, it is a marvel. But if the spirit (came into existence) because of the body, it is a marvel of marvels. But as for me, I wonder at this, how this great wealth made its home in this poverty.

So the first part of this saying can be translated “when” “When the flesh come into being because of spirit, it was a miracle

(85) Adam came into being out of a great power and a great wealth, and he was not worthy of you; for if he had been worthy, [he would] not [have tasted] of death.

In Hebrew the word miracle(s) is derivative of the root “be different”, distinctive, Meaningful, significant. Therefore it means to be different”, distinctive, meaningful, and significant, from the world and this is done by the word of God when believed and obeyed it will change our character and cleanse us form all of the desires of the flesh as Jesus says Jn: 17:17: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” and Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, Cp. Rom 10:17; 1Cor 12:8; 2Cor 6:7; Ephesians: 1:13; Eph 5:26; Eph 6:17; Phil 2:16 And so on.

The living Jesus=the resurrected Jesus, Jesus also lives though his sayings, and all true believers are the living Jesus. To become the living Jesus, you must empty yourself of yourself and let the spirit that is the mind of Christ (his character) fill you. Dying to yourself so that you can be reborn of the spirit as the living Jesus. We must experience the same conception, gestation, and birth as the living Jesus so that we might be his twin (Mt 3:17 Mk 1:11 Lk 3:22 Ps 2:7 89:27)

The hidden or secret sayings are in signs or signified the sayings, they are symbolical that is why we are told to find the correct interpretation of these sayings. (Cp. Saying 62 Jesus said: I speak my mysteries to those [who are worthy of my] mysteries. What your right hand does, let not your left hand know what it does.)

The Sayings are not intended to be interpreted literally, as the other four Gospels often are, but to be interpreted symbolically, this is confirmed by the opening Saying #0. While a literal interpretation may make sense, only by understanding the deeper meanings of the Sayings can one truly understand them.

In the Gospel of Thomas we are to become the spiritual and the corporeal (tangible) twin brethren of Jesus in logion 13 and the intro Thomas represents what we are to be come the spiritual and corporeal twin brethren of Christ (cp. Saying 108) this is done by knowledge, by knowing the Father and his son Christ Jesus. This can only be done by knowing what the Bible says about the Father and Christ Jesus. And when we truly know what it promises about the Kingdom of God. And when it is written on the heart, it forms the mind or mode of thinking or feeling created in a true believer. This is styled the inward man, the hidden man of the heart, the Real Self, the new man that is renewed by knowledge after the image of him that created him and is manifested in the life of a true believer.

To become the twin brethren of Christ (the Thomas class) we must know everything the Bible teaches about the Kingdom of God and the name of Christ Jesus. And than be baptised into Christ and put on Christ, so that we will be in the image or likeness of Christ. First in a moral likeness of renewed man to God (Col 3:10). And second the image of the son of God into which true Christians are to be transformed into the likeness of the heavenly body the house from heaven, (Phil 3:20,21 1Cor 15:49 Cp. Sayings 29 83 84)

Taking Off A Garment Gospel of Thomas saying 37

His disciples said, "When will you be shown forth to us and when shall we behold you?" Jesus said, "When you strip naked without being ashamed, and take your garments and put them under your feet like little children and tread upon them, then [you] will see the child of the living. And you will not be afraid

forgiveness is a process. It’s more like taking off a garment and putting on another, then taking off a garment, and putting on another. It’s not a simple case of amnesia at all. The good news about the process is that just maybe, there’s something crucial to be learned in what we might see as a unexciting process. That might be why God doesn’t grant an immediate and instantaneous release. Maybe spiritual health comes in the process more than the result.

Here in saying reflects early Christian baptismal practice at the ceremony of baptism a believer goes in to the water naked and when someone is baptised they are baptised into Christ into his death and just as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life, knowing that our old man was crucified with him that the body of sin might be done away with. so The undressing mentioned here relates to When we put off the old man we put on the new man which is Christ or the Christ consciousness the Christ-self.

The Striping naked refers to the "the filthy garments" that is clothed with "the flesh of sin," in which, Paul tells us "dwells no good thing." both morally and corporeal the moral garment we have to take off for ourselves but The corporeal garment is a gift from God. therefore to Strip naked refers to putting off the old man and putting on the new man which is the mind of Christ

37)# His disciples said, "When will You [the living Word] become revealed to us [when will we know the Keys of Knowledge of the higher/inward (spiritual) meanings] and when shall we see You [as you are]?" Yahushua said, "When you disrobe [remove the bonds (raiment) of whatever religion has you spellbound] without being ashamed [anyone who has found Truth and acted upon it can attest to this for these are persecuted and attacked by friends, family and co-workers in order to convince you that by leaving their religion you will surely have your part in the second death] and take up your garments [all of your past denominational/stately religious teachings] and place them under your feet "[the world becomes a footstool at your feet"] like little children [the Elect] and tread on them [subdue their power and influence over you], then [will you see] the Son of the Living One [within yourself and without (in others) for you "shall become as He is"], and you will not be afraid [fear is the fruit of ignorance, once you have the Way, the Truth and the Life none of their intimidation, condemnation or threats will scare you into submission to their will anymore]" 

God is a Principle

God the uncreated and eternal spirit, the Creator; and the ruler of the universe, the creation is an emanation of God for all things are out of him out of his corporeal substance.

God is a person however there is another meaning to God that the Deity is also a Principle

The word AIL (El) means “power,” “force,” or plain old “energy.” The Hebrews used the same word to denote their Deity. They USED AIL (El) because that’s what the Deity of the Bible is. He is Desire, Direction, and Drive. There's no fire-flinging, brimstone-breathing behemoth. There's no gray- headed old geezer. There are no three different “Persons” who think they are one. The Deity of the Bible is not an entity in the common sense of the word at all. The Deity of the Bible is Desire, Direction, and Drive. The power becomes personal when it is manifest by a being. The beings whomanifest the power OF AIL (El) can be (and often are) taken for God. That may be how the misunderstandings began. That, as well as the blindness of Bible translators (together with thenaiveté of their readers) might be why such an obvious Truth has eluded so many.

It was Elohim who appeared to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, David, and Josiah, to name a few. EL (the Deity) has never been seen by anyone.

The Elohim handle all the personal appearances. We know this because Scripture clearly teaches that all creation was produced from One Power (out of and through which are all things) but this One Power operates by way of a multitude of agents (Elohim) who are spirit-embodiments of its power.

Principle meaning A fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behaviour or for a chain of reasoning:

This Principle is so to speak of God individualized in a believer however, this is both in a personal sense, and in the All-encompassing identification of ourselves with Him that we come into the God consciousness.

He is the underlying, unchangeable Truth "with whom there is no change or shifting shadow" (James 1:17). God as a principle is absolute goodness expressed in all creation. When a person knows God and worships Him "in spirit and truth" (John 4:24), they recognise Him as this great goodness, which is present everywhere, all-knowing, and all-powerful. "Blessed be . . . God . . . the Father of mercies and God of all comfort" (II Cor. 1:3)

We can have a personal relationship with God by reading his word praying and recognising his character

His character is taught in the name Father, representing the love, protection, and providing care of God for man, His offspring. He is life and love and wisdom and power and strength

The Almighty God is both a Principle, and a Person

God as principle--The unchangeable life, love, wisdom, and mercy. Principle does not occupy space; neither has it any limitations of time or matter, but it eternally exists as the one fundamental cause out of which come forth all true ideas.

God as the Divine Mind--The connecting link between God and the believer. The Divine-Mind embraces all knowledge, wisdom, and understanding and is the source of every manifestation of true knowledge and intelligence. God as principle cannot be comprehended by any of the outward senses, which is perceptible only by the intellect. The one Mind is a unit and cannot be divided. The individual mind is a state of consciousness in the one Mind.

By the term Mind, we mean God--the universal principle of causation, which includes all principles.

There is nothing but Mind and thought--Principle and its mode of expression. The things made, or externalized, are simply effects, and of themselves would quickly pass away; but Mind and thought are one and inseparable, self-existent and ever active, the cause of all that appears.

An understanding of God, or universal Mind, is a key to all scripture. In the story of creation as told by Moses, all things were brought forth by "God said"--Mind thought.

God as substance hypostasis or substance The Son is the character or exact representation, and the Father is the hypostasis. The archetype is the hypostasis, so that hypostasis is the basis or foundation of character; wherefore the same apostle in Col. 1:15, styles the character engraved the "Image" of Theos the Invisible. Where body and form do not exist, there can be no image; therefore, where image is predicated of hypostasis, that hypostasis must have both body and form. The Father-Spirit, unveiled, is, then, a bodily form; and as all things are "out of Him," He is the focal centre of the universe, from which irradiates whatever exists.

God, accessibility of--God is approachable, available, and usable to all who draw nigh unto Him. God is Spirit, the principle of intelligence and life, everywhere present at all times. He is, forever, as accessible as a principle of mathematics or music. "The Father abiding in me" (John 14:10).

God manifest--God manifestation is really greater than God principle; the man who has demonstrated the God-character is greater than the untried man. Jesus proclaimed, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). He had all the possibilities of Principle and, in addition, He demonstrated a large degree of its possibilities. In this respect, Jesus is the great Saviour and helper for all men.